Compact aero-thermo model based engine material temperature control

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for controlling a fluid based system are disclosed. The systems and methods may include a model processor for generating a model output, the model processor including a set state module for setting dynamic states, the dynamic states input to an open loop model based on the model operating mode, where the open loop model generates current state derivatives, solver state errors, and synthesized parameters as a function of the dynamic states and a model input vector. A constraint on the state derivatives and solver state errors is based on a material temperature utility for determining a material temperature associated with a component of the cycle of the control system. The model processor may include an estimate state module for determining an estimated state of the model based on at least one of a prior state, the current state derivatives, the solver state errors, and the synthesized parameters.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a US National Stage under 35 USC § 371 ofInternational Patent Application No. PCT/US14/27979 filed on Mar. 14,2014, and claims priority under 35 USC § 119(e) to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/800,440 filed on Mar. 15, 2013.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to the design and control of engineeringsystems, and more particularly, to design and control of fluid-basedengineering systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Fluid-based engineering systems are widely used and may include gasturbine engines for aviation and power generation, HVAC&R (heating,ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration), fuel cells, and other,more generalized fluid processing systems for hydrocarbon extraction,materials processing, and manufacture. These systems may contain any orall of the following components: turbo-machinery, fuel cell stacks,electric motors, pipes, ducts, valves, mixers, nozzles, heat exchangers,gears, chemical apparatuses and other devices for generating ormodifying a fluid flow.

Each of these applications places different operational demands on theengineering control system. In gas turbine engine applications, forexample, the relevant cycle is typically a Brayton turbine or firstEricsson cycle, and the basic thermodynamic parameters (or processvariables) are the pressure, temperature and flow rate of the workingfluid at the inlet, compressor, combustor, turbine, and exhaust. Theparameters may be related to the overall thrust, rotational energy, orother measure of power output. In order to precisely control this outputwhile maintaining safe, reliable and efficient engine operation, theengineering control system must be fast, accurate, robust, and providereal-time control capability across all required performance levels.While the relevant process variables vary depending on the system typeand configuration, the need for precise, efficient and reliableengineering control remains the same, as do the economic constraints onoverall cost and operational/maintenance requirements.

Further, because direct measurements of system parameters controlled maynot be possible (due to undeveloped technology, prohibitive cost,unreliable equipment, etc.), the control system may require real timeestimation of system parameters. In particular, such a control systemmay wish to monitor parameters associated with material temperatures ofsystem components. System parameters may be mathematical abstractions ofengineering systems and/or process for a given set of measured inputsused as control feedback.

In the past, control systems for such fluid-based engineering systemsrelied on piecewise linear state variable representations. These controlsystems, by their nature, were limited to relatively simple non-linearsystems. Another approach used in the past relies on semi-empiricalrelationships that tie important system parameters to control sensors;the drawback of such a system is that it may lack accuracy and isexpensive due to the additional hardware required for implementation.Other attempts have been made to deploy stationary simulations in aretail environment; however, by their nature, these models are large,use iterative solvers, have high maintenance cost and lack robustnesscritical in a real time environment.

A known approach to modern fluid-based engineering system control is theuse of component level physics based non-iterative mathematicalabstractions of fluid-based engineering systems. These mathematicalabstractions are conceptualized in a software environment specific tothe applied fluid-based engineering system. Such example systems andmethods for engineering system control are further detailed in U.S. Pat.No. 8,090,456 (“System and method for design and control of engineeringsystems utilizing component-level dynamic mathematical model”), which ishereby incorporated by reference.

A need exists for an engine parameter on-board synthesis (EPOS) in thereal-time control system of a fluid based engineering system that mayovercome the computational inefficiencies of prior EPOS models. Inparticular, control systems for fluid-based engineering systems thatcontrol and/or monitor material temperature of components of thefluid-based engineering systems are needed. Thusly, an EPOS providingsaid functionality that may overcome the computational inefficiencies ofprior EPOS models is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, a control system isdisclosed. The control system may include an actuator for positioning acontrol device comprising a control surface, wherein the actuatorpositions the control surface in order to control a model state. Thesystem may include a control law for directing the actuator as afunction of a model output. The control system may include a modelprocessor for generating the model output, the model processor includingan input object for processing model input and setting a model operatingmode, a set state module for setting dynamic states of the modelprocessor, the dynamic states input to an open loop model based on themodel operating mode, wherein the open loop model generates a currentstate model as a function of the dynamic states and the model input,wherein a constraint on the current state model is based a series ofcycle synthesis modules, each member of the series of cycle synthesismodules modeling a component of a cycle of the control device andcomprising a series of utilities, the utilities are based onmathematical abstractions of physical properties associated with thecomponent. The series of utilities may include a material temperatureutility for determining a material temperature associated with acomponent of the cycle of the control system. The model processor mayfurther include an estimate state module for determining an estimatedstate of the model based on a prior state model output and the currentstate model of the open loop model and an output object for processingthe estimated state of the model to determine the model output.

In a refinement, the model output may include a material temperaturesignal based on material temperature of at least one component of thecycle of the control device.

In a further refinement, the control law may control a flow along a gaspath of the control device by controlling flow to the control devicebased on the material temperature signal.

In a further refinement, the actuator may regulate a flow to the controldevice based on the model output including the material temperaturesignal based on the material temperature of at least one component ofthe cycle of the control device.

In another refinement, at least one of the utilities may be aconfigurable utility comprising one or more sub-utilities.

In a further refinement, at least one configurable utility may bedesigned to model physical processes of at least one of a compressorelement or a turbine element.

In a refinement, the model input may include one or more of raw effectordata, boundary conditions, engine sensing data, unit conversioninformation, range limiting information, rate limiting information,dynamic compensation determinations, and synthesized lacking inputs.

In a refinement, the control device may be a gas turbine engine.

In a further refinement, the one or more cycle synthesis modules arebased on one or more mathematical abstractions of physics statesassociated with an element of a cycle of the gas turbine engine.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method forcontrolling a control device is disclosed. The method may includegenerating a model output using a model processor. The control systemmay include a model processor for generating the model output, the modelprocessor including an input object for processing model input andsetting a model operating mode, a set state module for setting dynamicstates of the model processor, the dynamic states input to an open loopmodel based on the model operating mode, wherein the open loop modelgenerates a current state model as a function of the dynamic states andthe model input, wherein a constraint on the current state model isbased a series of cycle synthesis modules, each member of the series ofcycle synthesis modules modeling a component of a cycle of the controldevice and comprising a series of utilities, the utilities are based onmathematical abstractions of physical properties associated with thecomponent. The series of cycle synthesis modules may include a materialtemperature utility for determining a material temperature associatedwith a component. The model processor may further include an estimatestate module for determining an estimated state of the model based on aprior state model output and the current state model of the open loopmodel and an output object for processing the estimated state of themodel to determine the model output. The method may further includedirecting an actuator associated with the control device as a functionof a model output using a control law and positioning a control devicecomprising a control surface using the actuator, wherein the actuatorpositions the control surface in order to control the model state.

In a refinement, the model output may include a material temperaturesignal based on material temperature of at least one component of thecycle of the control device.

In a further refinement, the method may further include controlling,using the control law, a flow along the gas path by controlling fuelflow to the control device based on the material temperature signal.

In a further refinement, the method may further include regulating afuel flow of the control device based on the model output including thematerial temperature signal based on the material temperature of atleast one component of the cycle of the control device.

In a refinement, the control device is a gas turbine engine and the oneor more cycle synthesis modules are based on one or more mathematicalabstractions of physical processes associated with components of athermodynamic cycle of the gas turbine engine.

In a refinement, at least one of the utilities is a configurable utilitycomprising one or more sub-utilities.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a gas turbineengine is disclosed. The gas turbine engine may include a fan, acompressor section downstream of the fan, and a combustor sectiondownstream of the compressor section, and a turbine section downstreamof the compressor section. Further, the gas turbine engine may includean actuator for positioning the gas turbine engine comprising a controlsurface, wherein the actuator positions the control surface in order tocontrol a model state. The gas turbine engine may include a control lawfor directing the actuator as a function of a model output. The gasturbine engine may include a model processor for generating the modeloutput, the model processor including an input object for processingmodel input and setting a model operating mode, a set state module forsetting dynamic states of the model processor, the dynamic states inputto an open loop model based on the model operating mode, wherein theopen loop model generates a current state model as a function of thedynamic states and the model input, wherein a constraint on the currentstate model is based a series of cycle synthesis modules, each member ofthe series of cycle synthesis modules modeling a component of a cycle ofthe gas turbine engine and comprising a series of utilities, theutilities are based on mathematical abstractions of physical propertiesassociated with the component, and the series of utilities including amaterial temperature utility for determining a material temperatureassociated with a component of the cycle of the gas turbine engine. Themodel processor may further include an estimate state module fordetermining an estimated state of the model based on a prior state modeloutput and the current state model of the open loop model and an outputobject for processing the estimated state of the model to determine themodel output.

In a refinement, the model output may include a material temperaturesignal based on material temperature of at least one component of thecycle of the gas turbine engine.

In a further refinement, the control law may control a flow along a gaspath of the gas turbine engine by controlling fuel flow to the gasturbine engine based on the heat transfer signal.

In a further refinement, the actuator may regulate a fuel flow to thegas turbine engine based on the model output including the materialtemperature signal based on the material temperature of at least onecomponent of the cycle of the gas turbine engine.

In a refinement, the element of a cycle of the gas turbine engine may bean element of at least one of: a duct, a bleed, a pressure loss at alocation, a turbine, a compressor, a diffusor, a burner, an exit guidevane, a nozzle, a fan, an efficiency loss module, a fan gear box, or atorque measurement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary control system for afluid-based engineering system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary engine parameter on-boardsynthesis (EPOS) module of the control system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary CAM input object of the EPOSof FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary compact aero-thermal (CAM)object of the EPOS of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary open-loop model of the CAMobject of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary output conditioning module ofthe EPOS of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary control configuration formonitoring and controlling material temperatures using the controlsystem of FIG. 1

FIG. 8 is a flowchart representative of a method for controllingmaterial temperature using the control configuration of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart representative of machine readable instructionsthat may be executed to implement the example EPOS of FIGS. 1 and/or 2.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart representative of machine readable instructionsthat may be executed to implement the example CAM object of FIGS. 2and/or 4.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an example processing system that mayexecute the example machine readable instructions of FIGS. 7-8 and/orany elements of the present disclosure herein.

It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale.In certain instances, details which are not necessary for anunderstanding of this disclosure or which render other details difficultto perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course,that this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodimentsillustrated herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Referring to the drawings and with specific reference to FIG. 1, acontrol system for a fluid-based engineering system in accordance withthe present disclosure is generally referred to by reference numeral100. Control demands may be generated by an operator interface 140 andmay be received by the engine parameter on board synthesis (EPOS) 110.For example, the operator interface 140 may be a real-time interfacesuch as a cockpit navigation system and/or an operator workstation.Additionally or alternatively, the operator interface 140 may includeanother, more generalized process control interface, which is suitablefor logging control commands to software control components 150,including, for example, a guidance, navigation, and control computer orautopilot system(s). Further, control demands may be generated by aninternal memory or any other internal programming operatively associatedwith software control elements 150.

The control elements 150 may include EPOS 110 and a control law 111 thatmay generate and/or process control instructions for the apparatus 130.The EPOS 110 and control law 111 may be implemented as software modulesdesigned to monitor, control, or otherwise act in associative functionwith regards to an apparatus 130. The control law 111 may obtain controlfeedbacks from the EPOS 110 and control commands from the operatorinterface 140. The control law 111 may generate control requests inengineering units to be processed by hardware control elements 120 tocontrol the apparatus 130.

Additionally, the software control components 150 may include an outputconditioner 113 and/or an input conditioner 115 to process output and/orinput data for the data's respective input/output destination. The inputto the EPOS 110, provided by the input conditioner 115, may be processedby fault detection and accommodation (FDA) logic 117 to detect rangefaults as well as in-range failures (e.g., rate-limit, cross-channelmismatch, etc.) and provide a reasonable input value along with a healthstatus indication for the input.

Further, the hardware control components 120 may convert digital datagenerated by the software control components 150 to an analog formreadable by the apparatus 130 (e.g., electrical signals), convert analogdata generated by the apparatus 130 into digital data readable softwarecomponents 150, condition such input and output data for readability,and/or control actuators 124 associated with the apparatus 130. Thedigital-to-analog convertor 122 can transform digital signals generatedby the control law 111 into actuator requests. The actuators 124 may beone or more devices which use control hardware to position variouscontrol components of the apparatus 130 in accordance with instructionsgenerated by the EPOS 110. Actuators, such as the actuators 124, may bedesigned to provide quick and accurate control of an apparatus.

Actuator sensors 125 may be included to measure various states of theactuators 124, wherein the actuator states (or positions) may be relatedto the physical configuration of the various control components of theapparatus 130. For example, fluid-based systems often include actuatorswhose linear or angular positions are sensed by actuator sensors 124,and which are related to the physical position of control surfaces orother control devices located proximate to a compressor, combustor,turbine and/or nozzle/exhaust assembly.

Further, the hardware control components 120 may include apparatussystem sensors 126. The apparatus system sensors 126 may measureoperational parameters associated with the apparatus 130. For example,fluid-based systems may include apparatus system sensors 126 thatmeasure the working fluid pressure, temperature and fluid flow atvarious axial and radial locations in the flow path. Apparatus systemsensors 126 may comprise a variety of different sensing devices,including, but not limited to, temperature sensors, flow sensors,vibration sensors, debris sensors, current sensors, voltage sensors,level sensors, altitude sensors and/or blade tip sensors. Apparatussystem sensors 126 may be positioned to measure operational parametersrelated to the function of apparatus 130, e.g., parameters related tocontrol commands submitted to EPOS 110 and control requests generated byEPOS 110 in order to direct actuators 124 to control apparatus 130.

Both the apparatus system sensors 126 and the actuator sensors 125 mayproduce electrical signals based upon a read-out result from saidsensors. The electrical signals produced by the actuator sensors 125 andthe apparatus system sensors 126 may be transmitted to ananalog-to-digital convertor 123. The analog-to-digital convertor mayconvert the electrical signals into digital signal data which may becompatible with and read by the EPOS 110 after processing by the inputconditioning module 115.

The apparatus 130 may be any fluid-based engineering system. Examplefluid-based engineering systems may include gas turbine engines foraviation and power generation, HVAC&R (heating, ventilation,air-conditioning and refrigeration), fuel cells, and other, moregeneralized fluid processing systems for hydrocarbon extraction,materials processing, and manufacture. In various embodiments, thephysical components of apparatus 130 include, but are not limited toincluding, compressors, combustors, turbines, shafts, spools, fans,blowers, heat exchangers, burners, fuel cells, electric motors andgenerators, reactor vessels, storage vessels, fluid separators, pipes,ducts, valves, mixers and other fluid processing or flow controldevices.

In some examples, the apparatus 130 may perform a thermodynamic cycle ona working fluid in order to generate rotational energy, electrical poweror reactive trust, to provide heating, ventilation, air conditioning andrefrigeration, or to perform other fluid processing functions. The rangeof available cycles includes, but is not limited to, the followingcycles and their derivatives: Otto cycles, Diesel cycles, Braytonturbine (or first Ericsson) cycles, Brayton jet (Barber/Joule) cycles,Bell-Coleman (reverse Brayton) cycles, Ericsson (Second Ericsson)cycles, Lenoir (pulse-jet) cycles, and Carnot, Stoddard and Stirlingcycles. Additionally or alternatively, apparatus 130 may perform anumber of individual thermodynamic processes for heating, cooling, flowcontrol, or for processing applications in agriculture, transportation,food and beverage production, pharmaceutical production, ormanufacturing, or for the extraction, transportation or processing of ahydrocarbon fuel. The range of available thermodynamic processesincludes, but is not limited to, adiabatic, isothermal, isobaric,isentropic, and isometric (isochoric or isovolumetric) transformations,exothermic reactions, endothermic reactions and phase changes.

In the present example, the apparatus 130 is a gas turbine engine. Assuch, the monitored aspects of the apparatus 130 may include, but arenot limited to, a compressor, combustor, turbine and/or nozzle/exhaustassembly. In an application for a gas turbine engine, the input andoutput values received/generated by the EPOS 110 may be vectorsrepresenting values for positions (i.e., nozzle areas, variable vaneangles, flow path areas, etc.), states, and actual sensed values ofparameters (i.e., spool speeds, gas path temperatures, pressuresproximate to components, flow rates proximate to components, etc.)related to the components of a gas turbine engine (i.e., a compressor,combustor, turbine and/or nozzle/exhaust assembly, etc.).

The data processed by the EPOS 110 are vectors containing parametersrelated to functions of the apparatus 130. Example input vectors for theEPOS 110 may include an external inputs vector (U_(E)) and a correctortruth vector (Y_(Ct)). U_(E) may contain values for external inputs tobe processed by the EPOS 110. U_(E) may describe the configurations,positions and states of various control elements in the apparatus 130.In a gas turbine engine, for example, individual elements of externalinputs vector U_(E) may have a set of values related to effectorposition; these effector position values may describe fuel flow rates,nozzle areas, variable vane angles, flow path orifice areas, and othercontrol element parameters. Further, U_(E) may have a set of valuesrelated to boundary conditions related to the operation of apparatus130. Some boundary conditions may be directly measured by apparatussystem sensors 126, such as fluid temperatures, pressures and flow ratesat physical boundaries of apparatus 130. In fluid-based applications,the boundary conditions may include boundary flow conditions and inletand outlet locations. Other boundary conditions specific to aircraftapplications include, but are not limited to, flight velocity, altitude,and bleed or power extractions parameters.

The corrector truth vector Y_(Ct) may contain data associated with realtime execution of the control system and describe the actual (sensed)values of the parameters related to the operation of apparatus 130. Theelements of Y_(Ct) may be based on measurements taken by the actuatorsensors 125 and/or the apparatus system sensors 126. Further, elementsof Y_(Ct) may be based on values derived from a well-understood andtrusted model of sensed parameters; for example, a flow rate model basedon a differential pressure drop across a Pitot tube or Venturi tube. Forgas turbine engines, typical Y_(Ct) vector elements include, but are notlimited to, spool speeds, gas path temperatures, and/or pressures allvalues of which may be proximate to engine components such ascompressors, combustors, and turbines. In the context of non-real timeapplications, including calibration, Y_(Ct) may correspond to highfidelity data which can either be physically tested or model-based.

Employing the compact aero-thermal model (CAM) of the presentdisclosure, FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the EPOS 110 of FIG. 1in further detail. The EPOS 110 of FIG. 2 may include, but is notlimited to including a CAM input object 220, a compact aero-thermalmodel (CAM) object 230, and a CAM output object 240. The EPOS 110 mayreceive raw input data related to vectors U_(ERaW) and Y_(CtRaw).U_(ERaW) may contain values obtained from the actuator sensors 125, theapparatus system sensors 126 and/or any other associated sensors and/orinputs. Y_(CtRaw) may contain values obtained from the actuator sensors125, the apparatus system sensors 126 and/or any other associatedsensors and/or inputs.

The CAM input object 220 may package selected values from the receivedinput U_(E) vector into an input vector U_(E) _(_) _(in). Similarly, theCAM input object 220 may package selected values from the received inputinto an input corrector truth vector, Y_(Ct) _(_) _(in) Further, thevectors U_(E) _(_) _(in) and Y_(Ct) _(_) _(in) may then be conditionedto protect the input values; this may be done by range limiting thevalues, by constraining the values based on instructions, and/or byperforming any additional input modifications function on the vectors.The CAM input object 220 may also use the input vectors received todetermine an operating mode (OpMode) for the FADEC 110. The inputconditioning module 220 may output a conditioned external input vectorU_(E), a conditioned truth vector Y_(Ct), and an OpMode vector.

The input validity of the vector values may be ensured by faultdetection and accommodation logic (e.g., through processing from the FDAlogic 117) specific to each sensor input of the CAM input object 220.The fault detection and accommodation logic detects range faults as wellas in-range failures (i.e., rate-limit, cross-channel mismatch, etc.)and provides a reasonable value in all cases along with a health statusindication. An example CAM input object 220 is described in greaterdetail below with reference to FIG. 3.

The output of CAM input object 220 is received by the CAM object 230.The CAM object 230 may contain aero-thermal representations, orcomponent modules, of engine components. The component modules withinthe CAM object 230 may operate according to the system's constraintsrelated to mathematical abstractions of physical laws that governbehavior of the apparatus 130 (i.e., laws of conservation of energy,conservation of mass, conservation of momentum, Newton's 2^(nd) law forrotating systems, and/or any additional known calculable physics model).The system constraints for each contained module within the CAM object230 may have specific constraints programmed within to simulate amonitored area and/or function of the apparatus 130 (i.e., a bypass ductbleeds module, a low spool compressor module, a burner module, aparasitic power extraction module, etc.).

The CAM object 230 may use the input vectors along with internal solverstates, representing on-board corrector states, solver states, andphysics states, while functioning. The solver states may be introducedto address fast dynamics, resolve algebraic loops and smooth highlynon-linear model elements. The CAM object 230 may output a synthesizedparameters vector Y. The vector Y may be estimated in relation to theoperating range determined by the CAM object 230. An example CAM object230 is described in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 4.

The output of the CAM object 230 may be received by the CAM outputobject 240. The CAM output object 240 may post-process select CAMoutputs that are needed by consuming control software and/or hardware.For some outputs, the CAM output object 240 may perform a unitconversion, may apply a test adder, and/or may perform interpolationbetween ambient conditions and/or CAM output during starting operation.The CAM output object 240 may unpack the Y vector into values specificvalues desired by related components (i.e., temperatures, pressures,flows, sensor temperatures, and/or other output synthesis). The CAMoutput object 240 may also output inter-component station flows,temperatures, pressures, and/or fuel to air ratios, torque, thrust,bleed flows, and/or compressor and turbine case clearances. The CAMoutput object 240 may also indicate the current status (e.g., theaforementioned “OpMode” operating mode) as determined by the EPOS 110.An example CAM output object 240 is described in greater detail belowwith reference to FIG. 10.

Returning to the CAM input object 220, FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplaryembodiment of the CAM input object 220 of FIG. 2. The CAM input objectof FIG. 3 may include a U_(E) vector packager 310, a Y_(Ct) vectorpackager 320, an OpMode Determiner 330, and an input protection module340. The U_(E) vector packager may receive vector U_(ERaW) and the U_(E)vector packager 310 may select the desired values from the input vectorsand may create vector U_(E) _(_) _(in), which may be output to the inputprotection module 340. The U_(E) vector packager 310 may also be usedfor unit conversion and for synthesizing values for U_(E) which may notbe present. Similarly, the Y_(Ct) vector packager may receive vectorY_(CtRaw). The Y_(Ct) vector packager 310 may select the desired valuesfrom the input vectors and may create vector Y_(Ct) _(_) _(in), whichmay be output to the input protection module 340.

The OpMode determiner 330 may establish the operating mode of the CAMobject 230 based on the health status of input values that are necessaryto run in each operating mode. The health status may include status ofcontrol sensors determined by the FDA logic 117, as well as internallygenerated information by the CAM object 230, such as conditions ofinternal states and outputs. The OpMode determiner 330 may operate usinga logic design that seeks the highest fidelity mode based on availableinputs and may fall back to decreased fidelity modes to accommodatefaults. The operating mode determined by the OpMode determiner 330 isone of a programmed list of operating modes related to the function ofthe apparatus 130 and based on the input vector values and/or thecondition of CAM states and/or outputs. The functions of variousdownstream elements may be affected by the resulting operating modedetermined by the OpMode determiner 330.

Once the OpMode of the CAM is determined, the input protection module340 uses the OpMode vector and the input from the vector packagers 310,320 to determine input vectors U_(E) and Y_(Ct). Said vectors arereceived by the CAM object 230, illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 4.

The CAM object 230 may generate state vectors X_(C), X_(S), and X_(P).The physics state vector (X_(P)) contains simulated parameters relatedto dynamics of the apparatus 130 during a time of interested, whosederivatives (X_(pDot)) are calculated in an open loop model 410. Thevector X_(P) may include, but is not limited to including, spool shaftspeeds, apparatus material temperatures, etc. The solver state vectorX_(S) may contain values related to adjustments that are made to certaincomponents of the apparatus 130. These values may be adjustments to makeup for errors coming from the CAM. The X_(C) vector may contain valuesrelated to on-board corrector states, which are simulated componentlevel values that are a refinement of the Y_(Ct) vector to make themodeled Y_(C) vector comparable to the real values of Y_(Ct). Further,because the CAM object 230 may be implemented as a discrete real timesimulation, the CAM object 230 may fully execute each dynamic pass ofthe simulation, each pass being denoted by letter k. The product of eachsimulation pass k and simulation time step dt is the simulation time.The values of k may increase sequentially by 1, (e.g. k=[1, 2, 3, . . .]).

The set state module 420 may receive input of the U_(E), Y_(Ct), andOpMode vectors. Additionally, the set state module 420 may receive theprior state's values of the X vectors generated by the estimate statemodule 440. In FIG. 4, the prior state is denoted by the state “(k−1).”The set state module 420 may override the states in the X vectors with abase point value; however, if the values do not need an override, theset state module 420 may act as a pass through element. The overridefunctions of the set state module 420 may override the values within theX vectors with base-point (U) or external (Y_(Ct)) values depending onthe operating mode (OpMode) input to the CAM Module 230. To obtainoverride values, the set state module 420 may look up base-point valuesfor CAM states for use during initialization. The set state module 420may also select an active subset of solver states. As output, the setstate module 420 may generate corrector state (X_(C)), solver state(X_(S)), and physics state (X_(P)) vectors for use in the open loopmodel 410.

The open loop model 410 may consist of one or more cycle synthesismodules, each cycle synthesis module relating to a component, function,and/or condition associated with the apparatus 130. In the presentexample, the open loop model 410 is composed of a variety of cyclesynthesis modules that may represent components, functions and/orconditions associated with a cycle of apparatus 130. The open loopmodule is not limited to any specific number of modules and may containany number of modules that are used to simulate components, functions,and/or conditions associated with apparatus 130. The open loop model 410may receive input of the corrector state (X_(C)), solver state (X_(S)),and physics state (X_(P)) vectors from the set state module 420 and theeffector/boundary condition vector (U_(E)). The values input to the openloop model 410 may be used as input to the various modules simulatingthe components of apparatus 130. The open loop model 410 uses the valuesgenerated by the cycle synthesis modules to form a synthesizedparameters vector Y(k) based on U_(E)(k) and X(k). The synthesizedparameters vector Y(k) contains synthesized cycle values determined fromthe simulated physics of the open loop module 410 and may be used forcontrol of the apparatus 130.

Showing the series of cycle synthesis modules, FIG. 5 illustrates anexample embodiment of open loop model 410 of FIG. 4. The open loop model410 may include a group of primary stream modules 510, a group ofsecondary stream modules 520, a group of additional modules 530 and avector data packager 540. The open loop model 410 may receive input ofthe corrector state (X_(C)), solver state (X_(S)), and physics state(X_(P)) vectors, from the set state module 420, and the effector vector(U_(E)). The group of primary stream modules 510, the group of secondarystream modules 520, and the additional modules 530 all may receive inputfrom the corrector state (X_(C)), solver state (X_(S)), and physicsstate (X_(P)) vectors from the set state module 420 and the effectorvector (U_(E)). Further, the open loop module 410 is not limited toincluding the above mentioned groups of modules, but rather, the openloop module 410 may omit groups of modules and/or include other groupsof modules. Any and all modules of the open loop model 410 may interactwith one another to produce the output of each module.

Each module of the open loop module 410 may represent a component of theapparatus 130 and may be implemented by a library of utilities, whereineach utility may be a mathematical representation of the physicalproperties that make up various parts of component calculations. Forexample, utilities of the modules may include representations ofcompressors, turbines, bleeds, pressure losses, etc. that may bereusable throughout the CAM object 230 and may improve readability andmaintainability of the EPOS 110. These components may be built fromphysics representations of aerodynamic and thermodynamic processes. Eachmodule may produce, for example, an output vector containing, forexample, total pressure, total temperature, fuel/air ratio, and gas flowat the exit of the component, and/or any other parameter associated withthe modeled portion of the apparatus 130.

In some examples, the primary stream modules 510 may include, but arenot limited to including, the following based on corresponding elementsof the apparatus 130: a CMP_L module 605 modeling a low spoolcompressor, a D_BLD_STB 610 module modeling a bleed associated with alow spool compressor, a D_CS_INT module 615 modeling a pressure lossassociated with air flow passing through a duct of a compressor, a CMP_Hmodule 620 modeling a high spool compressor, a D_I030 625 modulemodeling a pressure loss associated with instrumentation in a duct atthe exit of a high spool compressor, a D_DIF_BURN module 630 modeling adiffuser, a BRN_PRI module 635 modeling a burner, a TRB_H module 640modeling a high spool turbine, a TRB_L module 645 modeling a low spoolturbine, a D_EGV_LT module 650 modeling a low turbine exit guide vaneduct, a D_I0495 module 655 modeling pressure losses associated withprobes aft of an exit guide vane duct, a D_I_NOZ_PRI module 660 modelingpressure losses related to air moving through a duct, the ductcontaining instrumentation probes, a D_TEC_NOZ module 665 modeling aprimary nozzle duct, a D_NOZ_PRI module 670 modeling pressure lossesassociated with the primary nozzle duct, and a NOZ_PRI module 675 aprimary nozzle. Additionally, the secondary stream modules 520 mayinclude, but are not limited to including, the following based oncorresponding elements of the apparatus 130: an example CMP_F_SEC module705 modeling a fan outer diameter compressor, a D_EGV_FO module 710modeling a fan exit guide vane duct, a D_BLD_SEC module 715 modeling anexit duct between a low compressor and a high compressor, a D_AVE_140module 720 modeling a duct downstream of a B25 bleed, a D_BLD_NOZ_SECmodule 725 modeling bypass duct bleeds of the apparatus 130, aD_I_NOZ_SEC module 730 modeling a secondary nozzle duct, and a NOZ_SECmodule 735 modeling a secondary nozzle. Further, there are severalmodules that are not associated with a particular stream, the modules530 may include, but are not limited to including, the following basedon conditions of the apparatus 130: a POWER_EXTRACT module 805 modelingeffects of energy and/or efficiency losses of the apparatus 130, aFAN_ID_POWER module 810 modeling an accounting for power loss from a fangear box of the apparatus 130, and a TORQUE_BALANCE module 815 modelingan accounting for conservation of energy related to unsteady torquebalance within the apparatus 130, and a CALC_ERR_SLVR module 820 thatforms solutions to errors detected in the OLM 410. Further, anyadditional modules and/or groups of modules modeling any additionalphysical properties associated with the apparatus 130 may be included aspart of the open loop model 410.

The example modules of FIG. 5 may be designed using one or morephysics-based configurable utilities. The configurable utilities may becontained in a library of subsystems within the EPOS structure. The openloop module 440 may compile the above mentioned modules from thesubsystems of physics-based configurable utilities based onpreprogrammed instructions and/or a user input.

Once data is processed throughout various modules of the open loop model410, the vector data packager 540 receives input data from the group ofprimary stream modules 510, the group of secondary stream modules 520,and the additional modules 530. In addition to the synthesizedparameters vector Y(k) based on the model state and input, the open loopmodel may also output a solver errors vector (ErrSlvr) related to thesolver states vector (X_(S)). Also, the open loop model 410 may collectand output a physics state derivatives vector (X_(PDot)). The receiveddata may be packaged by the vector data packager 540 in the form ofvectors Y(k), ErrSlvr, and X_(PDot). Further, the vector data packagermay package vector data into fewer vectors and/or additional vectors.

Certain utilities used to comprise said modules of the open loop model410 may model gas-based properties and may represent, for example,specific heat as a function of temperature and fuel/air ratio, relativepressure as a function of enthalpy and fuel/air ratio, enthalpy as afunction of temperature and fuel/air ratio, specific heat ratio as afunction of temperature and fuel/air ratio, relative pressure as afunction of temperature and fuel/air ratio, relative pressure as afunction of temperature and fuel/air ratio, temperature as a function ofenthalpy and fuel/air ratio, and/or gas constant and specific heat ratioas a function of temperature and fuel/air ratio. Other example utilitiesmay model thermal conductivity as a function of gas total temperature,the absolute viscosity as a function of gas total temperature, criticalflow parameters as a function of specific heat and a gas constant,coefficients of thermal expansion as a function of material temperatureand/or type, material specific heat as a function of materialtemperature and/or type, and/or material thermal conductivity as afunction of material temperature and type. Further, other utilitiesmodeling other gas related functions may be present. Additionally oralternatively, any other utilities modeling any other propertiesassociated with the apparatus 130 may be included.

The utilities may include one or more heat transfer utilities fordetermining the temperature and/or rate of change in temperature ofvarious materials associated with elements of the apparatus 130 modeledby respective cycle synthesis modules. The heat transfer utilities maygenerate an estimated material temperature (T_(m)) and/or an estimatedmaterial temperature rate of change (T_(mDot)) associated with saidmaterial(s).

Additionally, the modules comprising the open loop model 410 may includeone or more configurable utilities. The configurable utilities may becomplex representations of engine components. For example, aconfigurable utility may represent a particular physical effect in majorengine components such as a compressor or a turbine. Each instance of aconfigurable utility may be selected to be one of severalrepresentations of the physical processes it models, even though theinterface of the configurable model remains unchanged. Configurableutilities may reconfigure themselves to represent a particular componentby switching the underlying configurable subsystems. Using suchconfigurable utilities may benefit the maintainability of a softwareapplication of the open loop model 430.

In an example embodiment, a configurable utility may be designed tomodel a Reynolds effect in the compressors of the apparatus 130 and mayreconfigure itself to represent a particular component of the compressor(e.g., a high spool compressor, a low spool compressor, etc.). Thisexample configurable, compressor Reynolds effect utility may be used information of cycle synthesis modules and may be used in modulessimulating a low spool compressor (e.g., the CMP_L module 605 of FIG.5), a high spool compressor (e.g., the CMP_H module 620 of FIG. 5),and/or any other module associated with a compressor simulation.Similarly, specific modules of the open loop model 410 may utilize aconfigurable utility to model Reynolds effect in the turbines of theapparatus 130 and may reconfigure itself to represent a particularcomponent of the compressor.

In an example OLM 410, a specific utility may model physical processesof a compressor of the apparatus 130 and may include representations ofsuch physical processes as sub-utilities. Sub-utilities of an examplecompressor utility may include, but is not limited to including, basicphysics utilities associated with the basic physics of the apparatus 130(e.g., isentropic compression, laws of thermodynamics, ideal gasproperties, etc.), a component aero-thermal map evaluation, gas-materialheat transfer properties, models of component bleeds, torque componentsfrom adiabatic steady-state, and/or effects of scaling between map andcycle conditions (design, gas property, Reynolds effect, clearance,untwisting effects, etc.). The output of such a compressor utility mayinclude, but is not limited to including, component exit gas flowconditions, bleed flows, swirl angles, total component inlet gas flows,torque extracted, and derivatives of material temperatures. A compressorutility may be operatively associated with other utilities (e.g.,off-board correction look up tables with selectable schedulingparameters, a selector for enabling on-board and/or off-board correctionfor the component, etc.) to form a compressor-related module like, forexample, the CMP_L module 605 and/or the CMP_H module 620.

Another example of an OLM model utility is the turbine utility.Sub-utilities of an example turbine utility may include, but are notlimited to including, basic physics utilities associated with the basicphysics of the apparatus 130 (e.g., isentropic expansion, laws ofthermodynamics, ideal gas properties, etc.), a component aero-thermalmap evaluation, gas-material heat transfer properties, models of inletguide vanes, models of consolidated turbine cooling bleeds, rotor inlettemperature calculation, turbine clearance effects, and/or effects ofscaling between map and cycle conditions (design, gas property, Reynoldseffect, clearance, untwisting effects, etc.). Outputs of such an exampleturbine utilities may include, but are not limited to including,component exit gas conditions, rotor inlet temperature, flows into theturbine, generated torque, material temperature derivatives, steadystate material temperature at current conditions, material temperaturetime constants, radius of apparatus from thermal expansion, and/orclearance values. A turbine utility may be operatively associated withother utilities (e.g., off-board correction look up tables withselectable scheduling parameters, a selector for enabling on-boardand/or off-board correction for the component, etc.) to form acompressor-related module like, for example, the TRB_H module 640 and/orthe TRB_L module 645.

Returning to FIG. 4, the sensing synthesis module 430 may model controlsensor measurements that differ from corresponding average gas pathengine station estimates packaged in Y due to regime/location effects inthe sensor surroundings and sensor body thermal inertia. Receiving inputof Y and the derivative physics state vector (X_(PDot)), the sensingsynthesis module 430 may act as another means of fault or errordetection within the CAM module 230.

Receiving input of Y(k), Y_(C)(k), X_(PDot)(k), and/or ErrSlvr(k), theestimate state module 440 may use said inputs to determine the next passvalue of CAM state vector X(k). The estimate state module 440 may scaleand correct solver state error vector, select solver gain schedulingparameters, calculate solver state gains, calculate scale, and correctthe corrector state error vector, integrate state derivatives, applystate integrator range limits, reset state integrators duringinitialization, detect saturated state integrators, and/or detectinternal errors indicated by unreasonably large synthesized values.

The estimate state module 440 may receive input of the effector vector(U_(E)), the synthesized parameters vector (Y), the on-board correctorstate vector (X_(C)), the physics state vector (X_(P)), the solver statevector (X_(S)), the solver errors vector (errSlver), and the physicsstate derivatives vector (X_(PDot)). The estimate state module 440 mayoutput updated versions of the on-board corrector state vector (X_(C)_(_) _(ESM)), the physics state vector (X_(P) _(_) _(ESM)), and thesolver state vector (X_(S) _(_) _(ESM)). These vectors are the analyzedstate vectors from the current iteration of the open loop model 410.

The output of the estimate state module 440 is received by the CAMoutput object 240, which is illustrated in FIG. 6. The CAM output object240 may include, but is not limited to including, a vector unpacker 910,a temperatures valuator 920, a pressures valuator 930, a flows valuator940, a sensor temperatures valuator 950, an other output synthesizer960, and a status indicator 970. The vector unpacker 910 may receiveinput of the synthesized parameters vector (Y). The vector unpacker 910may output the unpacked Y vector to other elements of the outputconditioning module. The status indicator 970 may receive input of theoperating mode vector (OpMode). Further, the output conditioning module240 is not limited to including the above mentioned elements, butrather, output conditioning module 240 may omit elements and/or includeother elements.

The temperatures valuator 920 may process temperature related values ofthe synthesized parameters vector (Y). This may include performing unitconversions, implementing test adders, performing non-linearinterpolation between temperature values during the starting functionsof the apparatus 130, and/or obtaining temperature values from defaulttables as backup if/when needed. The temperatures valuator 920 is notlimited to functioning in the above mentioned manner, rather, thetemperatures valuator 920 may omit any of the listed functions and/oradd additional functions related to processing temperature data of thesynthesized parameters vector (Y).

The pressures valuator 930 may process pressure related values of thesynthesized parameters vector (Y). This may include performing unitconversions, implementing test adders, performing non-linearinterpolation between pressure values during the starting functions ofthe apparatus 130, and/or obtaining pressure values from default tablesas backup if/when needed. The pressures valuator 930 is not limited tofunctioning in the above mentioned manner, rather, the pressuresvaluator 930 may omit any of the listed functions and/or add additionalfunctions related to processing pressure data of the synthesizedparameters vector (Y).

The flows valuator 940 may process fuel flow related values of thesynthesized parameters vector (Y). This may include performing unitconversions, implementing test adders, performing non-linearinterpolation between fuel flow values during the starting functions ofthe apparatus 130, and/or obtaining fuel flow values from default tablesas backup if/when needed. The flows valuator 940 is not limited tofunctioning in the above mentioned manner, rather, the flows valuator940 may omit any of the listed functions and/or add additional functionsrelated to processing fuel flow data of the synthesized parametersvector (Y).

The sensor temperatures valuator 950 may process sensor temperaturerelated values of the synthesized parameters vector (Y). This mayinclude performing unit conversions, implementing test adders,performing non-linear interpolation between temperature values duringthe starting functions of the apparatus 130, and/or obtaining sensortemperature values from default tables as backup if/when needed. Thesensor temperatures valuator 950 is not limited to functioning in theabove mentioned manner, rather, the sensor temperatures valuator 950 mayomit any of the listed functions and/or add additional functions relatedto processing sensor temperature data of the synthesized parametersvector (Y).

The other output synthesizer 960 may process other output data of thesynthesized parameters vector (Y) not processed by the temperaturesvaluator 920, the pressures valuator 930, the flows valuator 940, thesensors and/or the temperatures valuator 950. This may includeperforming unit conversions, implementing test adders, performingnon-linear interpolation between temperature values during the startingfunctions of the apparatus 130, and/or obtaining other output valuesfrom default tables as backup if/when needed. The flows valuator 940 isnot limited to functioning in the above mentioned manner, rather, theflows valuator 940 may omit any of the listed functions and/or addadditional functions related to processing other output data of thesynthesized parameters vector (Y).

The status indicator 970 may receive input from the operating modevector (OpMode). Using this input, the status indicator 970 may generateand provide a status indication of the operating status of the CAMmodule 230 for use in any downstream logic devices.

The control system 100 may be implemented to monitor and/or control thetemperatures of materials of the apparatus 130 within a given flow pathof the apparatus 130. An aim of the control system 100 is to maximizethe apparatus 130 performance while reducing wear on components causedby excess material temperatures of the materials of said components. Forexample, high temperatures at a burner of an apparatus may increasecycle thermal efficiency but may cause excessive material temperature ofthe material in engine components. Therefore, limiting the fuel flowingto a burner may reduce the temperatures at a given material. As such,the control system 100 may be employed for material temperature control.

Turning now to FIG. 7, a control configuration 160 for determining andcontrolling material temperatures is shown. As described in furtherdetail above, the CAM-based EPOS 110 receives effector positions andboundary conditions (U_(fb)) from the apparatus 130 via the hardwarecontrol components 120. Additionally, the EPOS 110 may receiveengine/cycle measurements (Y_(m)) from the apparatus 130, via one ormore sensors and/or other hardware input. Using the input, the EPOSgenerates a model output for control.

In particular, the EPOS 110 may determine a value for the temperatures(T_(m)) and rate of change in temperatures (T_(mDot)) for a givenapparatus material using the model output. The apparatus material maybe, for example, material surfaces associated with turbomachinery, suchas a surface of a turbine case. The software control elements 150 mayalso determine goal values for temperatures (T_(mGoal)) and rate ofchange in temperatures (T_(mDotGoal)). The goal values may be producedby the EPOS 110 and/or the goal values may be determined using inputgenerated from the operator interface 140.

The generated values of T_(m), T_(mDot), T_(mGoal), and T_(mDotGoal) maybe used to determine advanced multi-variable control (AMVC) instructions165 for output to the control hardware. The AMVC instructions 165 may begenerated by the control law 111. In some examples, control error(errCtrl) processing may be applied to the input of the AMVC 165. TheAMVC instructions 165 are used by hardware control elements 150, such asthe actuators 124), to generate a control request (U_(fb)) for theapparatus 150. Using the control configuration 160, the control requestsmay be used to control and monitor material temperatures as described inthe flowchart 980 of FIG. 8.

At block 982, the model output of the EPOS 110 may generate an estimatedmaterial temperature (T_(m)) and/or an estimated material temperaturerate of change (T_(mDot)) (both values contained in the X_(f) vector)for a given component of the apparatus 130 (as modeled by a respectivecycle synthesis module). The T_(m) and T_(mDot) values may be determinedduring computations by the open loop model 410, wherein specific cyclesynthesis modules pertaining to material temperature-effected materialsmay produce the values. The cycle synthesis modules may employ a utilityfrom the series of utilities (e.g., a “material temperature utility”)which determines T_(m) and/or T_(mDot) for a material of a given elementmodeled by its respective cycle synthesis module.

Continuing to block 984, the control law may receive a materialtemperature signal; the material temperature signal may include thevalues for T_(m) and/or T_(mDot). Using the material temperature signal,the control law 111 may determine controls for the flow along the gaspath of the apparatus at a specified element based on the materialtemperature signal (block 986). Determinations for the controls outputby the control law 111 may be based on goal values for materialtemperature and/or goal values for the material temperature rate ofchange. Additionally or alternatively, the controls output may be basedon other preprogramming and/or user input.

Lastly, the actuator 124 may receive input based on the model output,the model output including the material temperature signal based on thematerial temperature of at least one component of the cycle of thecontrol system (988). The input received by the actuator may be used togovern effector boundary conditions and, for example, regulate a fuelflow to the apparatus 130.

While an example manner of implementing the EPOS 110 of FIG. 1 has beenillustrated in FIGS. 2-6, one or more elements, processes, and/ordevices illustrated in FIGS. 2-6 may be combined, divided, rearranged,omitted, eliminated and/or implemented in any other way. Further, theexample elements of FIGS. 1-6 could be implemented by one or morecircuit(s), programmable processor(s), application specific integratedcircuit(s) (ASIC(s)), programmable logic device(s) (PLD(s)) and/or fieldprogrammable logic device(s) (FPLD(s)), etc. When any of the apparatusor system claims of this patent are read to cover a purely softwareand/or firmware implementation, at least one of the example elements arehereby expressly defined to include a tangible computer readable mediumsuch as a memory, DVD, CD, Blu-ray, etc. storing the software and/orfirmware. Further still, the example embodiments of have beenillustrated in may include one or more elements, processes and/ordevices in addition to, or instead of, those illustrated in FIGS. 1-6,and/or may include more than one of any or all of the illustratedelements, processes and devices.

Flowcharts representative of example machine readable instructions areshown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In these examples, the machine readableinstructions comprise a program for execution by a processor such as theprocessor such as the processor 1210 shown in the example computer 1200discussed below in connection with FIG. 11. The program may be embodiedin software stored on a tangible computer readable medium such as aCD-ROM, a floppy disk, a hard drive, a digital versatile disk (DVD), aBlu-ray disk, or a memory associated with the processor 1210, but theentire program and/or parts thereof could alternatively be executed by adevice other than the processor 1210 and/or embodied in firmware ordedicated hardware. Further, although the example programs are describedwith reference to the flowcharts illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, manyother methods of implementing embodiments of the present disclosure mayalternatively be used. For example, the order of execution of the blocksmay be changed, and/or some of the blocks described may be changed,eliminated, or combined.

With reference to FIG. 9, example machine readable instructions 1000 maybe executed to implement the EPOS 110 of FIGS. 1 and/or 2. Withreference to FIGS. 1 and/or 2, the example machine readable instructions1000 begin execution at block 1010 at input vectors are received by theCAM input object 220 and are used by the CAM input object 220 todetermine the operating mode (OpMode) of the simulation and to compilethe CAM input vectors U_(E) and Y_(Ct) (block 1015). The CAM inputvectors are then used by the CAM object 230 to determine synthesizedparameters vector Y based on internal physics state module of the CAMmodule 230 and the external inputs U_(E), Y_(Ct), and OpMode (block1020). The synthesized parameters vector Y is conditioned by the CAMoutput object 240 for use by external modules such as, for example, thecontrol law 123 of FIG. 1 (block 1025).

The example machine readable instructions 1100 of FIG. 10 may beexecuted to implement the CAM object 230 of FIGS. 2 and/or 4. Withreference to FIGS. 2 and/or 4, the set state module receives input fromand sets the state of the CAM object 230 based upon vectors U_(E),Y_(C)(k), OpMode, and prior physics state vectors generated by theestimate state module 440 in the form of X_(E) _(_) _(ESM)(k−1), X_(C)_(_) _(ESM)(k−1), and X_(P) _(_) _(ESM)(k−1) (block 1110). The open loopmodel 410 determines synthesized parameters vector Y(k) by processingdata contained in U_(E), Y_(C)(k), X_(C)(k−1), X_(S)(k−1), andX_(P)(k−1) using one or more contained cycle synthesis modules, the oneor more cycle synthesis modules being a mathematical abstraction(s) ofthe physics states associated with an element of a cycle of theapparatus 130 (block 1115). The sensing synthesis module 430 receivesthe synthesized parameters vector Y(k) and detects potential errors inthe vector (block 1120). The estimate state module 440 determines thephysics state vectors X_(S) _(_) _(ESM)(k), X_(C) _(_) _(ESM)(k), andX_(P) _(_) _(ESM)(k) for the present state (k) (block 1125). Theestimate state module 440 outputs the vectors X_(S) _(_) _(ESM)(k),X_(C) _(_) _(ESM)(k), and X_(P) _(_) _(ESM)(k) to the set state module420 for processing the next sequential state (block 1130). The estimatestate module 440 outputs the vector Y(k) for use external to the CAMmodule 230 (block 1135).

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an example computer 1200 capable ofexecuting the instructions of FIGS. 8-9 to implement the apparatus ofFIGS. 1-7. The computer 1200 can be, for example, a server, a personalcomputer, or any other type of computing device.

The system 1200 of the instant example includes a processor 1210. Forexample, the processor 1210 can be implemented by one or moremicroprocessors or controllers from any desired family or manufacturer.

The processor 1210 includes a local memory 1215 and is in communicationwith a main memory including a read only memory 1230 and a random accessmemory 1220 via a bus 1240. The random access memory 1220 may beimplemented by Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), DynamicRandom Access Memory (DRAM), RAMBUS Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRM)and/or any other type of random access memory device. The read onlymemory 1230 may be implemented by a hard drive, flash memory and/or anyother desired type of memory device.

The computer 1200 also includes an interface circuit 1250. The interfacecircuit 1230 may be implemented by any type of interface standard, suchas an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB), and/or a PCIexpress interface.

One or more input devices 1254 are connected to the interface circuit1250. The input device(s) 1254 permit a user to enter data and commandsinto the processor 1210. The input device(s) can be implemented by, forexample, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, a track-pad, a trackball,isopoint and/or a voice recognition system. The interface 1250 mayoperate in conjunction with, in parallel with, or in place of, theoperator interface 115 of FIG. 1.

One or more output devices 1258 are also connected to the interfacecircuit 1250. The output devices 1258 can be implemented by, forexample, display devices for associated data (e.g., a liquid crystaldisplay, a cathode ray tube display (CRT), etc.), and/or an actuatoroperatively associated with a fluid-based engineering system such as gasturbine engines for aviation and power generation, HVAC&R (heating,ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration), fuel cells, and other,more generalized fluid processing systems for hydrocarbon extraction,materials processing, and manufacture.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the technology disclosed hereinhas industrial applicability in a variety of settings such as, but notlimited to, systems and methods for controlling a fluid basedengineering system. Example fluid-based engineering systems may includegas turbine engines for aviation and power generation, HVAC&R (heating,ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration), fuel cells, and other,more generalized fluid processing systems for hydrocarbon extraction,materials processing, and manufacture. Using the teachings of thepresent disclosure, compact aero-thermal models of fluid-basedengineering systems may be designed to reduce computational load on asystem's control device and/or on board processor. The efficiency ofsuch a model may be improved through the use of a series of utilities,the utilities based on mathematical abstractions of physical propertiesassociated with components of the engineering system. This improvementover the prior art may conserve computational efficiency and may improvethe accuracy of the control system for fluid based engineering systems.

While the present disclosure has been in reference to a gas turbineengine of an aircraft, one skilled in the art will understand that theteachings herein can be used in other applications as well, as mentionedabove. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention not belimited by the embodiments presented herein as the best mode forcarrying out the invention, but that the invention will include allequivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the claims as well.

What is claimed is:
 1. A control system, comprising: an actuator forpositioning a control device comprising a control surface, wherein theactuator positions the control surface; a processing circuit configuredto execute a control law, the control law configured to direct theactuator as a function of a model output; and a model processorconfigured to generate the model output, the model processor comprising:an input object for processing a model input vector and setting a modeloperating mode; a set state module for setting dynamic states of themodel processor, the dynamic states input to an open loop model based onthe model operating mode; wherein the open loop model generates currentstate derivatives solver state errors, and synthesized parameters as afunction of the dynamic states and the model input vector, a constrainton the current state derivatives and solver state errors being based ona series of cycle synthesis modules, each member of the series of cyclesynthesis modules modeling a component of a cycle of the control deviceand comprising a series of utilities, the utilities based onmathematical abstractions of physical laws that govern behavior of thecomponent, the series of utilities including a material temperatureutility for determining a material temperature associated with acomponent of the cycle of the control system; an estimate state moduleconfigured to determine an estimated state of the model based on atleast one of a prior state, the current state derivatives, the solverstate errors, and the synthesized parameters; and an output object forprocessing at least the synthesized parameters of the model to determinethe model output.
 2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the modeloutput includes a material temperature signal based on materialtemperature of at least one component of the cycle of the controldevice.
 3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the control lawcontrols a flow along a gas path of the control device by controllingflow to the control device based on the material temperature signal. 4.The control system of claim 3, wherein the actuator regulates a flow tothe control device based on the model output including the materialtemperature signal based on the material temperature of at least onecomponent of the cycle of the control device.
 5. The control system ofclaim 1, wherein at least one of the utilities is a configurable utilitycomprising one or more sub-utilities.
 6. The control system of claim 5,wherein at least one configurable utility is designed to model physicalprocesses of at least one of a compressor element or a turbine element.7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the model input vectorincludes one or more of raw effector data, boundary conditions, enginesensing data, unit conversion information, range limiting information,rate limiting information, dynamic compensation determinations, andsynthesized lacking inputs.
 8. The control system of claim 1, whereinthe control device is a gas turbine engine.
 9. The control system ofclaim 8, wherein the one or more cycle synthesis modules are based onone or more mathematical abstractions of physical processes associatedwith components of a thermodynamic cycle of the gas turbine engine. 10.A method for controlling a control device, the method comprising:generating, by a computer processor, a model output using a modelprocessor; processing a model input vector and setting a model operatingmode; setting dynamic states of the model processor, the dynamic statesinput to an open loop model based on the model operating mode;generating current state derivatives, solver state errors, andsynthesized parameters as a function of the dynamic states and the modelinput vector, wherein a constraint on the current state derivatives,solver state errors, and synthesized parameters is based on a series ofcycle synthesis modules, each member of the series of cycle synthesismodules modeling a component of a cycle of the control device andcomprising a series of utilities, the utilities based on mathematicalabstractions of physical laws that govern behavior of the component, andthe series of utilities including a material temperature utility fordetermining a material temperature associated with a component of thecycle of the control device; determining an estimated state of the modelbased on at least one of a prior state model output, the current statederivatives of the open loop model, the solver state errors, and thesynthesized parameters; and processing at least the synthesizedparameters of the model to determine a model output; directing anactuator associated with the control device as a function of the modeloutput using a control law; and positioning the control devicecomprising a control surface using the actuator, wherein the actuatorpositions the control surface.
 11. The method claim 10, wherein themodel output includes a material temperature signal based on materialtemperature of at least one component of the cycle of the controldevice.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling,using the control law, a flow along the gas path by controlling fuelflow to the control device based on the material temperature signal. 13.The method of claim 12, further comprising regulating a fuel flow of thecontrol device based on the model output including the materialtemperature signal based on the material temperature of at least onecomponent of the cycle of the control device.
 14. The method of claim10, wherein the control device is a gas turbine engine and the one ormore cycle synthesis modules are based on one or more mathematicalabstractions of physical processes associated with components of athermodynamic cycle of the gas turbine engine.
 15. The method of claim10, wherein at least one of the utilities is a configurable utilitycomprising one or more sub-utilities.
 16. A gas turbine enginecomprising: an actuator for positioning the gas turbine enginecomprising a control surface, wherein the actuator positions a controlsurface of an element of the gas turbine; a processing circuitconfigured to execute a control law configured to direct the actuator asa function of a model output; a model processor configured to generatethe model output, the model processor comprising: an input object forprocessing a model input vector and setting a model operating mode; aset state module for setting dynamic states of the model processor, thedynamic states input to an open loop model based on the model operatingmode; wherein the open loop model generates current state derivatives,solver state errors, and synthesized parameters as a function of thedynamic states and the model input vector, wherein a constraint on thecurrent state derivatives and solver state errors is based on a seriesof cycle synthesis modules, each member of the series of cycle synthesismodules modeling a component of a cycle of the gas turbine engine andcomprising a series of utilities, the utilities based on mathematicalabstractions of physical laws that govern behavior of the component, andthe series of utilities including a material temperature utility fordetermining a material temperature associated with a component of thecycle of the gas turbine engine; an estimate state module configured todetermine an estimated state of the model based on at least one of aprior state, the current state derivatives, the solver state errors, andthe synthesized parameters; and an output object for processing at leastthe synthesized parameters of the model to determine the model output.17. The gas turbine engine of claim 16, wherein the model outputincludes a material temperature signal based on material temperature ofat least one component of the cycle of the gas turbine engine.
 18. Thegas turbine engine of claim 17, wherein the control law controls a flowalong a gas path of the gas turbine engine by controlling fuel flow tothe gas turbine engine based on the heat transfer signal.
 19. The gasturbine engine of claim 18, wherein the actuator regulates a fuel flowto the gas turbine engine based on the model output including thematerial temperature signal based on the material temperature of atleast one component of the cycle of the gas turbine engine.
 20. The gasturbine engine of claim 16, wherein the element of a cycle of the gasturbine engine is an element of at least one of: a duct, a bleed, apressure loss at a location, a turbine, a compressor, a diffusor, aburner, an exit guide vane, a nozzle, a fan, an efficiency loss module,a fan gear box, or a torque measurement.